


A Matter of Practicality

by laurus_nobilis



Category: Brave Police J-Decker
Genre: Humor, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-06
Updated: 2013-09-06
Packaged: 2017-12-25 20:23:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/957249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laurus_nobilis/pseuds/laurus_nobilis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Deckerd and Gunmax are far too slow. The Build Team decides to take matters in their own hands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Matter of Practicality

Power Joe was determined to make this happen. True, it had taken some work to convince the others to help – in fact, he still wasn’t sure that he _had_ convinced McCrane – but he wasn’t one to give up. Especially on something like this. It would be a tragedy to stand by and watch a potential epic love story never happen, just because half of it was too stubborn and the other half too clueless.

He knew how to pick his battles, too, so he didn’t even bother with Gunmax. That would only end in arguing and several steps back. No, this needed a plan that was clever. Subtle.

Like getting Deckerd to watch some of his romantic movies. Maybe it’d give him just a _little_ perspective. And in the worst case scenario, well, the guy needed to relax and get a hobby anyway.

Which of course meant that it took a lot of convincing. The good news was that Deckerd was too polite to keep refusing for long, and in the end, Power Joe managed to make him sit down and watch. It was a great choice, the usual story about a straight-laced character falling for a reckless type. Perfect.

"So? What do you think?" he couldn’t help but ask, still in the middle of the movie.

"It’s… fun," his friend admitted. "I really want to see what happens next."

That probably doubled as the Deckerd way of telling him to shut up so he could watch, but Power Joe pressed on and elbowed him playfully.

"Bet it looks familiar."

For a moment, Deckerd seem to think about it. Then he grinned.

"They _are_ a bit like Dumpson and Ayako-san, aren’t they?"

… all right, so maybe it was _too_ subtle.

* * *

It was all very confusing, not that Drill Boy was going to admit it to the rest of the team. But the truth was that he didn’t quite get it. If Deckerd and Gunmax liked each other, wouldn’t they know that? He wasn’t sure why they needed someone else to show them. Still, the others were so convinced…

He decided to follow McCrane’s advice and pay attention. It turned out he wasn’t very good at it, because first he kept losing focus, and when at last he managed to concentrate Gunmax slapped him upside the head and told him to stop being a creep.

So maybe it’d be better to focus on Deckerd. _He_ wouldn’t slap him. Probably.

He did look very distracted. Leaning forwards on his desk, chin in hand, looking at nothing in particular… Drill Boy ended up copying his pose without even noticing.

"Hmm. I wonder…" he mused softly. 

Just not softly enough to avoid being heard, it seemed.

"Wonder what?"

"Ah- it’s nothing!" He laughed, trying to appear natural, but he had the feeling that he was making himself look nervous instead. Deckerd was giving him a weird look.

"Drill Boy…"

"You just looked very concentrated. That’s all!"

"Well, it _is_ a very delicate matter," Deckerd admitted. "I can’t risk making the wrong decision. It could ruin everything we have worked for."

"Mmm… But you have to decide, right?"

"That’s true. But it will have to wait a few days more." He frowned a little and leaned back on his chair, arms crossed. "We can’t form a proper plan of action until Duke and Shadowmaru come back."

"Ah, of – wait. What?"

"We have to narrow down the suspect list." Now Deckerd’s frown was very much directed at him. "Drill Boy, aren’t you paying attention?"

"Right! The case! Of course I am!"

He was just paying attention to the wrong thing, apparently. But then again, in a way, so was Deckerd. Maybe Power Joe had a point after all.

* * *

Dumpson was still arguing with himself about this. It wasn’t as simple as the others seemed to think – it wasn’t any of their business! They couldn’t just jump in and tell Deckerd what to do.

On the other hand… this was _Gunmax_ they were talking about. He wasn’t like Ayako-san, or even like Seia-san. He’d just keep acting like nothing was going on, and this would take forever.

And then Power Joe and Drill Boy would never shut up.

So, after some time of considering his options, he decided to get this over with and stomped his way towards Deckerd’s desk. Then he just stared.

"… Dumpson? Do you need anything?"

"Eh? No. You’re the one who-" No, this wasn’t going to work. He needed a different angle. "You have to take what you want!"

This time, Deckerd was the one who did the staring.

"What… what I want?" he repeated a moment later. Dumpson nodded, full of enthusiasm.

"That’s right! You have to stand up for yourself!" he insisted. "Show your fighting spirit!"

For some reason, that only made Deckerd look confused, almost… embarrassed? It didn’t make sense. That wasn’t like him at all. Sure, he was clueless, but he had never been the shrinking violet type.

"What’s wrong?"

"Dumpson, I’m sure that’s very good advice, but…" He paused, uncertain again. This was getting weird. "Ah, I don’t know how to say this."

"Just say it," Dumpson encouraged him. "You’re thinking too much."

"Well, if you really think so." Deckerd shrugged and then looked at him in the eye, like any honest and straightforward officer should. "I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Clueless. Definitely clueless. Dumpson somehow managed to resist the urge to smack his forehead.

"… ah, just forget about it."

This _was_ going to take forever.

* * *

"Make them stop."

McCrane didn’t even bother to look up from his report. He had been expecting this conversation for a while by now.

"Stop what?"

"Don’t play dumb with me," Gunmax insisted. "You know exactly what I’m talking about."

He sounded genuinely exasperated, and for a moment McCrane almost felt sorry for him. Almost. But he did put the files down, at least, and turned towards his friend.

"All right. Let’s suppose there _is_ something going on, which, for the record, I am not admitting," he said. "What makes you think that I could stop it?"

" _Come on_. You’re the reasonable one," said Gunmax, leaning over his desk. "They have to listen to you. Right?"

"No, not really," McCrane replied, and it was the truth. He might have been 'the reasonable one' but that also meant he was often outvoted. Not that he’d admit that out loud.

Gunmax put his hands on his hips and turned his face away from him.

"Tch. They’re going to ruin everything."

It was all said with a very nonchalant attitude, of course, but for Gunmax standards it meant a lot. McCrane frowned. If this _was_ serious, then it should be treated as such.

"I can’t convince them to change their mind," he said. "But there is a way to stop this, if you're willing to try."

"What do you mean?"

"You could talk to Deckerd yourself."

Gunmax snorted, back to his usual self.

"Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen."

Well. That hadn't been exactly a successful strategy, then. Although if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that it didn't surprise him. How was he supposed to help with the relationships of others if he still wasn't sure of how his own had even… happened? At least, McCrane thought, no one could say he hadn't tried.

* * *

The case was closed, but it looked like whatever weirdness had gotten into his friends for the past few days was far from over. Deckerd was still trying to make all the pieces fit, and it made no sense.

Duke and Shadowmaru had nothing to do with it, he was sure. They had arrived just in time to arrest the suspect, and then the Build Team had dragged them away with no explanations or manners as soon as that was over. And now Gunmax looked like he was about to run away, too. What was his team up to this time?

"Gunmax, wait."

The biker tensed, almost as if he expected a scolding. Deckerd made a mental note to find out if he had been getting in trouble lately. That attitude was suspicious. However, he had other things in mind at the moment.

"Don't you think the Build Team has been acting… strange? More than usual?"

"Oh. Them." Gunmax shrugged, trying to look relaxed and not quite succeeding. "They have a bet going on, or something. Don't worry about that."

Sure enough, that only served to make Deckerd worry _more_. Lying to him (badly, too) and telling him to look the other way was never a good sign.

"Gunmax. What do you know?"

"Why don't you ask _them_?"

"Are you being difficult on purpose?"

"You like it, baby."

Deckerd had to hold back the urge to punch him in the face. Again. He was getting very good at this 'not punching him' thing – then again, he was also getting a lot of practice. But now Gunmax was looking at him with that ridiculous cocky grin, and he knew it was a lost cause. He rubbed his temples and let out a long, tired sigh.

"Look," he said, "just tell me it's nothing dangerous."

"Of course it's not dangerous. As if Dumpson would let them," he replied, and Deckerd had to admit that he had a point. Then, without any kind of transition whatsoever, he jumped on his bike and smirked. "Race you back to headquarters."

"What? We're not supposed to-"

But Gunmax was already off, so fast that he couldn't possibly be staying within the allowed speed limit. He was such a troublemaker, when he wanted to. Reckless and impulsive and an all around terrible example.

And Deckerd followed him, anyway.


End file.
